A new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has found that adults with diabetes who adhere to recommended physical activity guidelines can counterbalance the mortality risks linked to excessive sitting. This research marks the first to demonstrate that sufficient exercise can negate the dangers of prolonged daily sitting, even in individuals with diabetes, with the findings reported in the journal Diabetes Care.
The study’s lead author, Wen Dai, MPH, highlighted the urgency of managing the heightened mortality risk within this vulnerable group, especially given the diabetes epidemic and the tendency for those affected to be less active. The research underscored that sedentary behaviour is not just a personal issue but a significant public health concern, given its association with increased mortality risks across the general population.
Utilising data from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) that tracked individuals aged 20 or older who met the American Diabetes Association’s criteria for diabetes, the study followed participants until 2019 to monitor their mortality status. Both sitting time and physical activity levels were self-reported, with additional information on sociodemographics, lifestyle, and health conditions gathered via computer-assisted personal interviews.
Physical activity was divided into three categories based on the time spent in moderate to vigorous activities: inactive (less than 10 minutes per week), insufficiently active (10-149 minutes per week), and active (150 minutes per week or more). Notably, 38 per cent of diabetic adults were categorised as inactive. Regarding sedentary behaviour, many diabetic adults reported sitting for eight or more hours daily. The study spanned approximately six years, during which 1,278 deaths from all causes and 354 from heart disease were recorded among a cohort with an average age of 60, where 48 per cent were female and 61 per cent were non-Hispanic White.
The findings revealed that high levels of sitting posed a greater mortality risk for those who were inactive or insufficiently active. Still, this risk was mitigated for those who were sufficiently active. This pattern held for both all-cause and heart disease-related mortality.
The study’s senior author, Sandra Albrecht, PhD, an assistant professor of Epidemiology at the Columbia Mailman School, emphasised the importance of supporting patients in maintaining active lifestyles, particularly those whose jobs or life situations require extended periods of sitting, such as drivers or office workers. This research supports the critical need for adherence to physical activity guidelines to improve health outcomes in adults with diabetes.
More information: Wen Dai et al, Sitting Time and Its Interaction With Physical Activity in Relation to All-Cause and Heart Disease Mortality in U.S. Adults With Diabetes, Diabetes Care. DOI: 10.2337/dc24-0673
Journal information: Diabetes Care Provided by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
